The Police Service Commission has debunked a story carried by a national daily, describing it as misleading.
The Head, Press and Public Relations, PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, insisted that the journalist did not speak with the PSC chairman Dr. Solomon Arase on the purported story but allegedly quoted him.
Ani said: “The Correspondent who supposedly interviewed some Civil Society Chieftains in respect of the story went further to claim that Dr. Arase expressed similar views on the matter even when he was not contacted at all.
“The story claimed that the PSC Chairman supports the views that any likely waiver by Mr. President to grant tenure extension to the Inspector General of Police would utterly undermine the law, the provisions of the Police Act, 2020(amended) which provides in section 18(8) of the Police Act ” that every police officer shall on recruitment or appointment serve the Nigeria Police Force for 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years whichever comes first”
“The Chairman is also in support that any such action could trigger avoidable tension within the system especially the Command structure of Police hierarchy, lower morale and disrupt the systematic movement of top officers in line with seniority and rank”
“The Commission wishes to state that its chairman did not grant any interview to the said correspondent or direct anyone to speak on his behalf on the issues raised above.
“Dr. Arase was a former Inspector General of Police and as current Chairman of the Commission is a member of the Police Council and is aware of the channels of Communication as it relates to his advice and contribution in appointing an Inspector General of Police.
“His view on this matter has never been in doubt as he has always said that it is the prerogative of Mr. President to appoint an Inspector General of Police with the endorsement of the Police Council which the President Chairs. The Commission demands a published retraction of this tendentious publication with apologies. To avoid doubt, the Commission wishes to restate that its chairman never spoke to the correspondent.
“Dr. Arase is and has always been a media person and had been available at short notice for media interviews. Fabricating an interview and crediting stories to him is obviously in bad taste.”
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